Unfortunately, I’ve been pulling 12-hour days at work for the last week and a half and haven’t had any time to actually try some of the modifications to the Hummingbird Bakery’s vanilla cupcakes recipe that I suggested in my previous post. I haven’t even really had the chance to really check out my new KitchenAid, […]
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The Science of Failure: Vanilla Cupcakes Edition
So, for all you non-believers — high-altitude really is a game changer when it comes to baking. Recall my “control” experiment from the previous post. A recipe that works beautifully at sea-level yields rather disastrous results at higher-altitudes: So what went wrong? The outsides of the batter in each individual cupcake space rose far too […]
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Hummingbird Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes, High-Altitude Style
Like any true scientist, I began my experiment in high-altitude baking by creating a control group. I decided to follow the Hummingbird Bakery’s sea-level recipe for vanilla cupcakes without any alterations or modifications. After all, Susan E. Purdy of Pie in the Sky: Successful Baking at High Altitudes suggested that it was okay to try […]
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Hummingbird Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes, Sea-Level Style
“Our vanilla cupcakes, topped with candy-colored Vanilla Frosting and sprinkles, are what the Hummingbird Bakery is best known for, and they never fail to please. When you make these at home, don’t overbake them — they should be light golden and spring back when touched. This way you will ensure an airy, moist cake with […]
Read the Post >Introduction, Pt. 2: The Hummingbird Bakery
My love affair with cupcakes began at Saint Cupcake Bakery during my sophomore year at college in Portland, OR. I guess I must have led a sheltered life or something, but I had never tasted cream cheese frosting until then. Big Top cupcake from Saint Cupcake in Portland, OR (from Saint Cupcake’s website) After Saint […]
Read the Post >Introduction, Pt. 1: High-Altitude Baking
Before I moved to Denver, CO (elevation: 5,280 feet above sea level) from San Francisco, CA (elevation: 52ft), I was warned of the perils of high-altitude baking by several of my friends. A former roommate of mine quoted a friend of hers who had lived in high altitude who had told her that, in the […]
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